A veteran of some 25,000 live performances, including encores, of his world hit of the early Sixties, Stranger on the Shore, Acker and his Paramount Jazz Band will perform 'Jazz at the TLT' in The Tommy Leddy Theatre, Drogheda on Friday, April 29 at 8pm.

When I told Acker that things were very bad in Ireland, he replied: "We'll soon sort that out when we get there!"

And he added: "Sod it, I'm 82, and I can't do anything about it. But we'll enjoy ourselves, and so will the audience."

Acker's star trumpeter Enrico Tomasso has a huge following in this country in his own right.

Also on the programme will be the Des Hopkins Dixieland band and David Leddy's 'Nice 'n' Easy Jazz'. Box office 041 9878560, or The Sound Shop at 041 9831078.